Lamia
by Hazelena
Summary: The time spent with the lamia or under her spell just doesn't go away and is easily forgotten. It lingers in the back of the mind reminding you whenever it seemed you forgot. Arthur doesn't help with his constant questions just trying to get to the bottom of Merlin's strange attitude.
1. Athur

Arthur just couldn't put his finger on it something was wrong with Merlin but what? Ever since he saved him from the Lamia Merlin hasn't been acting like he usually does. It started with the pat he placed on Merlin's shoulder when they were at the town which merlin flinched from and his lack of enjoyment on the ride back to Camelot. Take this morning for example no rise and shine, no lazy daisy not even an up and at'em, the chores all done before Arthur even had a chance to utter them and not even Gaius could find Merlin. Merlin where are you? thought Arthur as he paced his chambers restlessly "My lord it's time for training," interrupted Elyan bursting into the Kings chambers, the oak doors flying open behind him.

"Thank you Elyan but surely you should still be resting with that cut on your arm."

"Nonsense it's nothing more than a scratch."

Arthur turned to leave when the thought struck him "Elyan you're close to Merlin do you have any idea why he's acting like he is?" At this Elyan turned away nervously glancing at the floor "No sire" "oh it was just a thought. The training grounds were the pride of Camelot when Uther was king and Arthur liked to think under his reign they grew even more, the constantly polished swords gleaming in the midday sun ringing as they collide against each other in a fierce battle of strength and wit echoed though the castle making Arthur proud. However, the training was not all as it usually is with Arthur's key knights, usually the ones engaged in the training first and longest, standing in opposite sides of the training ground as if each other's presence repelled them and disgusted them. "Sir Leon, Gwaine, Percival and Elyan come here!" Arthur gestured towards himself with his other hand resting upon his sword at his waist. "Gwen's told me about the lamia herself and Merlin, what do you have to say for yourselves?" bit out Arthur angry at the thought that a magical creature ensnared his best knights (and closest friends) and nearly killed them if it wasn't for Merlin, Gwen and himself. Gwen told him how they during their travels encountered a young girl who enchanted the knights and tried to steal the life out of them but Arthur knew there was something she was hiding but in a moment of rare tact Arthur decided not to push it. Sir Leon immediately looked shocked, stepped back and placed his arms out placatingly

"Sire I promise you we never meant to harm them it was the Lamia we couldn't help it we were powerless."

"Hurt who?" asked Arthur becoming more alarmed with every word out of Leon's mouth.

"Merlin" replied Gwaine looking nervously at Arthur "If you would please let go of your sword Arthur we can explain ourselves." Arthur looked down and his hand was gripping onto the hilt of his sword so hard it turned white

"No, I don't think I shall until I get an explanation why my four best knights have just admitted to abusing my manservant!"


	2. Merlin

Merlin was trying, he really was, it wasn't his fault that any loud noise caused him to startle or if anyone came too close he flinched. Merlin knew that it wasn't the Knights fault that they did that to him the lamia enchanted them to do it but that didn't stop the pain when the words struck Merlin almost as badly as the hits when Gwen wasn't around. Merlin was in the secret room in the great library books surrounding him and dust coating every available surface. This was his safety: his room to hide away in when the weight of destiny became too much. Just like now. He was done pretending he was fine as if what had happened never did, that the bruises had faded and he didn't believe the words they said. "Your worthless, pathetic, you still echoed around his head the intensity getting louder with every repeat. "Stop" cried out Merlin curling into himself with his hands clamped over his ears, he pleading into the empty room.


	3. Gwen

Lying wasn't something was well versed at normally preferring to tell people the truth no matter the cost however Gwen could keep a secret. It was vital when she worked for the Lady Morgana before she plotted to kill Uther as it protected both their friendship which was looked unfavourably on and Morgana herself as if Uther knew half of what Morgana said when she was angry at him Morgana's punishments would be worse than a night in the cells. This secret was not hers but Merlin's.

It pained Gwen everyday having to see her brother and closest friends act that way towards each other, especially towards herself and Merlin. She was lucky Merlin divert ether attention and anger away from her and onto himself even if that meant a beating for Merlin. Gwen knew Merlin went to great lengths to hide this from her but she wasn't deaf she could hear his cries each night begging the knights to stop, she tried to interfere at the start when Leon was arguing with Merlin but she was pushed to the ground later Merlin approached her and pleaded that Gwen "stay out of trouble and don't interfere as you could get seriously hurt, I don't know what Arthur would do if you came back with bruises or worse."

"Merlin what about yourself surely that applies to you, Arthur cares for you more than he lets on."

"He might do Gwen but I'm strong enough to take it anyway it won't be for long we will get to Camelot and prince dollop head will sort them out and they will apologise." Gwen smiled and reluctantly agrees she wouldn't interfere any more than necessary. The pain Merlin was in was the worst part but there was nothing she could do without making the situation worse so she pulled up her blanket and tried to block out the sounds.


	4. Arthur

"Well I'm waiting" said Arthur stepping closer to the knights who seemed to shrink under his glare, "Percival since you were the first to be affected what happened?"

"It started out light your majesty I found this amazing woman in pain in the woods an obvious prisoner of the bandits she was still bound but she latched onto me as if I was her saviour, it made me feel special my Lord," uttered Percival sheepishly, "How was I so lucky that such a treasure was looking up to me? But then Merlin tried to interfere and bandage her hand, looking back I know I over reacted but she flinched and shied away from his touch like he burned her and that's all I could see so I snapped at Merlin and told him to get back whilst I carried her away from here and him."

"The lamia affected us all Arthur, no one but Gwen and Merlin stayed away from her influence and I am sorry to say they suffered, we could just not understand how they did not worship the ground she walked on why they did not tend to her every need just to see her smile. This caused tension in the group and I was the first to snap" Uttered Sir Leon getting riled up.

"Calm down and carry on with the story," said Arthur still shocked that the lamia still seemed to evoke such strong reactions from them now even after she was dead Arthur began to see what the knights must have been like when she was alive.

"This anger continued on growing until Merlin tried to interfere, tried to say Lamia was evil but she wasn't she was all the good in the world who didn't deserve him" Sir Leon started, taking over form Percival but stopped obviously thinking over his next words "…someone who wasn't even a knight, not even a physician who is nothing but a servant …." Arthurs sword was drew from its scabbard and held against Leon's throat

"Give me one reason why I should not just run you in right now for what you said to Merlin!" shouted Arthur drawing attention from the other practicing knights about why their king was holding one of them at sword point. Leon only stared into the distance

"I can give you no explanations and you won't be interested in my apologies but hold off killing me until you hear the rest of the story as the worst is yet to come. The insults were only the start soon the argument escalated until the threat of physical violence hung in the air. Gwen I believe tried to intervene in one of the arguments but we pushed her down and advance towards her but Merlin spoke up directing all out attention on him. We were all so angry with the lamia whispering into our brains horrid thoughts and despicable action until they happened. I can't remember who threw the first punch but only that it felt good and the pressure inside our heads lessened the more we put in."

"Yet the wanting to hurt Merlin didn't seem to come from her, "interrupted Elyan with dead eyes "but ourselves like the beating was something he deserved. The more we beat him the more it felt like we should his cries were the worst the more they sounded the more we wanted to hear them again to know that Merlin was finally getting what was coming to him for acting like a knight or a member of the court when all he is, is pathetic servant from some small village."

The knights all looked ashamed when Elyan revealed the secret. Arthur looked around to see all the knights that were training had left leaving just him and the four knights alone. Arthur directed his gaze at Elyan "So what happened next?"


End file.
